42 commando

Discussion in 'Commandos & Royal Marines' started by andy_tom, Oct 28, 2015.

  1. andy_tom

    andy_tom Member

    Hi There.

    I'm trying to find out information on my grandads unit in the Royal Marines. I know he was part of 42 commando during ww2, i think and i know he was in the Suez but not much more than that.

    If anyone knows anything more or where to find more information it would all be great

    thanks Andy
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    What was his name?
     
  3. andy_tom

    andy_tom Member

    His name was Reginald Frank Jarman. I know he became a commando in 1945 but thats pretty much it..
     
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  5. andy_tom

    andy_tom Member

    thanks, I've got those forms to send off. didn't know if anyone could add anymore light on it all..
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Andy

    You will probably find more light can be thrown on the search after you have the service records. Post them up here and let members see whats what

    TD
     
  7. andy_tom

    andy_tom Member

    does anyone know anything about 42 commando in general?
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  9. andy_tom

    andy_tom Member

    Thats great thank you.. i'll check them all out..i've contacted the MOD so i'll see what i get back..
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've got the units war diary from 1943 to the end of 1945. I had a quick look to see if your man was mentioned in some of the Operational Orders but could see him. They were in the Far East fighting the Japanese - If memory serves me well, Hong Kong springs to mind. Does that fit with anything you've heard?
     
  11. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    They were in the Arakan, Burma, teamed up with Army Commando (1 Commando, I think) behind Japanese lines ( a second pairing was 44RM Commando and 5 Army Commando).

    Then the Arakan was put in suspension due to pressure from the Japanese at Imphal, where they were briefly flown to guard the Silchar Track in case the Japanese found a way though Imphal - they never did and this period was relatively uneventful.

    Rejoined the Arakan campaign with landings at Mebon and then Kangaw, Jan 1945, which was a major battle where the lightly armed Commando successfully split the Japanese forces in two and had a tough time until regular forces. arrived. Also a landing on Ramree Island.

    I think they only arrived in HK after the Japanese surrender.
     
  12. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    You might like this, written by Ken Trevor, CO of No1 Commando but mentionning 42RMs role in Kangaw battle.

    ( Extract from ‘Three Quarters Of A Century Or Seventy Five Not Out’ the personal recollections of Brigadier K.R.S. Trevor CBE DSO Late CO No 1 Commando)
    This is about No. 1 Commandos operations in Burma. The 14th Army under General Slim had been advancing and by the end of 1944, 15th Indian Corps were ready to take the offensive and to support the advance of 4th Corps from Kohima and 33 Corps from Imphal. The task was to drive the Japs 28th army out of the Arakan. General Christison proposed to use 3 Commando Brigade which was composed of No. 1 and No. 5 Army Commandos and No. 42 and 44 Royal Marines Commandos on assaults from the sea to support 25 and 26 Indian Divisions. He needed an airfield to support the advances and wished to capture the facilities at Akyab and Ramree and decided to attack Aryab island first. On 3rd January 1945, a full operation was carried out with Army Commandos in the forefront and the island was occupied and there were no casualties as the Japanese had pulled out in advance of the attack. It all went extremely well and was disappointing that there were no Japanese there to receive the attack. On 12th January 1945, the raid on Myebon peninsula*, which is situated between the Rivers Kyatsin and Myebon, was carried out. The combined operations pilotage party were known as Copp and they managed to go in early one morning and remove the stakes which the Japanese had placed in front of the landing beaches to hold up any landing craft which tried to land. 42 Commando were in the first flight and behind a smoke screen managed to land at high tide, but by the time 1 and 5 tried to land the tide had receded and there was thick mud everywhere. It was the most difficult landing we ever did.
    The attack on Myebon was successful and lasted several days. Eventually the 74 Brigade passed through the Commando positions and secured the peninsula. The Japs were now denied the waterways for any supply or possible evacuation.
    On the night of 19/20th January the Copp party were able to select beaches up the Daingbon Chaung for a landing to attack Kangaw. The Japanese with 54 Division under Myazaki were thought to be concentrated around Kangaw which was a small village. They had also 111 Group of about 5,000 men and a matzu detachment in reserve at Kaladan. The plan was on 22nd January 1945, for 74 Indian Infantry Brigade which had the 2nd Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Regiment the 14th/10th Baluchis and the 3rd/2nd KEO Gurkas with some tanks of 19 Lancers to strike for Kangaw. At the same time 3 Commando Brigade were to come by water to land near Kangaw in order to try and turn the Japanese left flank. For 3 Commando it meant a five mile approach up the Daingbon Chaung which was about 25/35 yards wide and flanked by overhanging mangrove trees growing in swamps on either side. Our objective was Hill 170 with a code name Brighton. It was about 800/1000 yards long north 15 South; a wooded feature over 160ft high at the highest point way in the middle of a flat paddy field with steep sides.
    The plan was for the No. 1 Commando leading the assault supported by 5 Commando had to seize the hill and 42 Commando were to hold the banks of the Chaung at the beachhead. On 23rd January, 42 Commando were to advance and capture Kangaw itself. 44 Commando were to seize and hold Pinner. On 25th January, 51 Brigade composed of 19th Battalion Hydrabads, the 16th/10th Baluchis and the 2nd Punjabis (all Indian Brigade) were to advance. One of the advantages 1 Commando had over the other units was that we had brought from North Africa when we were with the Americans, Garand self-loading rifles with a bore of .3” with which they were armed. These rifles give a very high rate of fire, we also had the normal British – .303 LMG’s, 3” mortars and American Thompson Sub-machine guns. We decided not to wear steel helmets but would wear our green berets. To support our operation we had some Z-craft with four 25 pounders of 18th Field Regiment Royal Artillery. They were going to move up and down the Chaung and fire from a moving Z-landing craft. We had 5.5 medium Artillery to give support from Myebon and also naval fire from the sloops in the Indian Navy Narbada and Jumna which were ships which would carry us to the release point. For air support we had B25 Mitchells of 224 Group RAF who would lay a smoke screen in advance of the landing. No. 1 were able to capture Hill 170 without much opposition but at night there was a strong counter-attack which was beaten off and we found nine dead Japs. One of our soldiers in No. 1 managed to strangle a Jap with his hands whom he found in a small basha (hut) at the bottom of the hill.
    Next, 42 Commando were ordered by Campbell Hardy, our Brigadier, to attack Milford*, 44 Commando which were now on Pinner were bombarded during the night for eight hours on January 23rd, and sustained over 61 casualties. On 24th January, 18/19 Hydrabads came to relieve 44 Commando on Pinner and 44 Commando who had been badly shaken moved to the South West end of Brighton. On 26th January, the whole of 51 Brigade were holding Milford, Berwick and ‘Duns’. 42 Commando were withdrawn from Milford onto HQ in Brighton in anticipation of an all-out Jap attack on Brighton. So Brighton, (Hill 170) was now a Brigade position. By 29th January, no attack on Brighton had come and 51 Brigade managed to take Melrose partially cutting off the link between the matzu detachment and the rest of the Jap Division, and 74 Brigade began to advance from Kantha. Two fresh Battalions arrived at Myebon en route to relieve the Commandos in Brighton.
    The Commandos were under gunfire much of the time but were able to return fire on Fingers with 3/1 WCM mortars. The RAF also made sorties and bombed the hills.
    On 30th January, 1 Commando were warned that they were going to be relieved by the Punjabis but later it was postponed until the 31st January. The Japs reactions to our advance and seizure of these hills around Kangaw so far had been very slow except for very heavy shelling. At least 800 shells per day came on to Hill 170. No. 4 troop were of No. 1 Commando was dug in at the northern hill 170 and No. 1 Commando occupied the northern 1/3 of 16 Hill. All our supplies had to come down the Cahung and through the beachhead about 800**yards from the hill. About this time (which we now know) General Miyazaki made a special order of the day. He said that in the past battle opportunities had been lost because of passive conservative and thick headed NCOs and men were badly commanded and controlled. The fact that the true value of the Imperial Army was not in evidence is primarily the responsibility of every Division Group Commanders and Battalion Commanders. It is extremely regrettable and it is a condition that cannot be tolerated. All officers will be rejuvenated so all actions are carried out with daring and careful planning; moreover precautions must be taken in the following ways. If no order received each defensive area will be defended until death by the last soldier. Those withdrawing without orders will be given the most punishment under the penal code. Reconnaissance and defence are of primary importance. Units will maintain liaison to the front, rear, left and right flanks. Execute and report when given orders. As the enemy is in progress of moving it is extremely weak. Carry out immediate and determined attacks regardless of your strength when the occasion arised. Battalion units will infiltrate and block their path or retreat and make reinforcement impossible. To win a battle the enemy must be killed. Every man will kill no less than three enemy. Kill, kill, kill. To demand this the officers themselves must be courageous, active and daring. One action is better than 100,000 directives. Executive ability must be perfected. Signed: Miyazaki.
    On 31st January at 5.45am, Jap artillery put a heavy concentration on No. 4 troop and they were faced by 50 Japanese who had dug themselves in close to the hill. The position was ringed by gunfire preliminary to a major attack. The Japs showered grenades over the forward slip trenches and at 7.30 the Japs attacked on a 100 yard frontage platoon by platoon. In left centre (west side) a Jap suicide party of Jap Engineers with demolition charges at the end of bamboo poles managed to disable by explosives two out of our three tanks after a heavy hand to hand battle. The Jap section managed to climb on board the tanks with the pole charges and blow themselves up with the tanks. Flames shot up at the foot of the hill near 16 centre as the tanks caught fire. Ten men attacked the mortar position but we managed to repulse them. There were no Jap survivors. The battle was now in the area of the north end of the hill in about an area of 100 yards square. Some of the Japs were wearing green berets taken from our dead and 600 of them were on the edge of the hill. Some calling out in English and trying to get us to surrender. At 9.30 we managed to arrange a counter-attack by W troop of 42 Commando with 3 troop of No. 1 Commando on the flank. A landing craft was used carrying a bren gun group from reserve units gave supporting fire. Against strong Jap MG fire the counter-attack was abandoned after a 20 yards advance with heavy casualties.
    The next plan was for X troop 42 Commando to counter attack with one Sherman tank (the only one remaining). The Japs brought down heavy fire again and X troop’s counter attack failed. All our guns and mortars were brought to bear on the Jap positions.
    Our Forward Observation Officer (F.O.O.), Royal Artillery, was badly wounded and I went forward to see him and thought it would be better to get him back so as to have medical treatment but the Orderly with him and his Signaller said that it would be too dangerous to remove him as he would die if moved so they must stay with him where he was lying in the slit trench. Throughout the day reserve ammunition under control of the RSM were brought forward bren magazines boxes of .300 ammunition and boxes of grenades. There was tremendous fire going on. At 2.00 o’clock, 6 troop of No. 1 Commando counter attacked and lost nearly half of its men. No. 5 Commando on Pinner who had been relieved at noon by 8 Hydrobad Regiment had come back to Hill 170. The whole brigade was now on the Hill. I had moved up to join O/C 4 troop, Roy Semple, in his slit trench who was commanding No. 4 troop.
    The third stage of the battle was when Colonel Pollitt (ex No. 1 Commando) who was Commanding Officer of No. 5 Commando, came forward to offer us help and while he was talking to me was wounded and evacuated. His batman later earned a military medal. Fire power was increased by extra light machine gun groups for 5 Commando and the Sherman tank fired three bursts which managed to cause heavy casualties. By 1600 hours assistance was given by LMGs of the 2/2nd Punjabis who had worked round the left flank of the Hill and I arranged for No. 5 Commando to move up and take over responsibility from No. 4 troop and thus become the new front line except for the front section of No. 4 troop which had been overrun. By 5.15pm some Japanese were seen withdrawing and the 2/2nd Punjabis were able to carry out a night attack from the flank but failed to drive the Japanese off the Hill. Later the Japanese carried out a night attack on No. 5 Commando without success. Early in the morning of 2nd February, No. 5 Commando moved forward and found the Hill abandoned and over 340 bodies lying piled up in heaps all over the Hill. Some of our men lying there were alive but wounded, lying underneath a pile of wounded was the gunner F.O.O. (Forward Observation Officer) with his two men still alive.
    On 2nd February, 74 Brigade came across the Minchaung and 82 (West African) Division; West African 2 Brigade closed up. 51 Brigade sent out patrols to Perth. The gap left between these two had left a gap for the Matzu detachment to make their desperate attack on Hill 170. The result of the battle was that the Commandos lost 45 killed and 90 wounded. 50% of these had been in No. 1 Commando, who lost 22 killed and 44 wounded. The battle broke the spirit of Miyazaki’s Division. In the next ten days units of 154 Regimental Group lost 1000 men and quantities of equipment as they tried to escape from 74 Brigade and 51 Brigade and 82 (West African) Division. It was, of course, George Knowland’s section on Hill 170 on which this whole battle hinged. He had received the first blows and the failure to take Hill 170 upset the whole of the Japanese attack. The whole battle cost the Japanese approximately 2500 casualties.

    The decorations for this battle No. 1 Commando were awarded a Victoria Cross, (Knowland) 1 DSO, 4 Military Crosses, 2 Distinguished Conduct medals, 13 Military medals, 7 Mention in Despatches and 2 Certificates of Gallantry.

    Further searches in the days after the battle around Hill 170 found further bodies making a total of 450. During this battle 25 Indian Division has had 1374 casualties of which 317 had been killed in action, 3 Commando Brigade included in the Division had had 340 casualties of which 66 had been killed in action.
     
    Npteggchaser likes this.
  13. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    [​IMG]

    The Commandos had already taken Mebon. Map shows this and the Kangaw positions.

    Effectively by holding the Hill Pinner and 170, the Japanese were cut off from retreating South.
     
  14. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    42nd Royal Marine Commando
    Raised
    August 1943 at Sway from 1st Royal Marine Battalion

    The commando served under command of 3rd Special Service Brigade (Commando Brigade from December 1944) from 6 November 1943 until August 1945. It was organized with ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘W’, ‘X’ and ‘Y’ Troops. It was sent to the Far East with the brigade on 15 November 1943. The ship was attacked on 29 November 1943 and was delayed due to ship damage at Alexandria for serveral weeks. It reached Kedagoan on 21 January 1944 and trained with No. 1 Commando at Belgaum. It later trained at the Combined Training Centre at Cocandada on India’s east coast. It was located at Teknaf in October 1944. It participated in a raid on Elizabeth Island near Akyab on 3 November 1944 with 30 all ranks. It relieved a battalion of 74th Indian Infantry Brigade at Maungdaw in 10 November 1944 and patrolled in Japanese held areas. It returned to Teknaf at the start of December. It landed at Myebon on 11 January 1945 and fought at Kangaw from 19 January 1945 until early February. It then returned to India and took part in Exercise ‘Lilliput’ with the brigade at Kharakvasa, India in the early summer. The commando reoccupied Hong Kong on 11 September 1945 with the brigade.
     
    Aixman likes this.
  15. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Andy,

    What was the NA reference number for the 42 RM Commando war diary.

    Cheers

    Steve
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    DEFE 2/48 42 Royal Marine Commando August 1943 to December 1945

    Or

    ADM 202/94 42 Commando 1943 to 1946
     
    bamboo43 likes this.
  17. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    DEFE 2/48 42 Royal Marine Commando August 1943 to December 1945

    Or

    ADM 202/94 42 Commando 1943 to 1946

    Thanks for that. :)
     
  18. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    DEFE 2/48 42 Royal Marine Commando August 1943 to December 1945

    Or

    ADM 202/94 42 Commando 1943 to 1946

    Thanks for that. :)

    Should have said. This is to try and help another contact from the Burma Star Association magazine whose father was with 42 Commando in WW2. Thanks again.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  19. Lost Boys

    Lost Boys New Member

    Hi all.
    My grandad was also part of 42 Commandos during ww2.
    His name was Cyril Roote.
    I'm hoping to find pictures or records of his time.
    I appreciate any help.
    Thank you
     
  20. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Lost Boys

    Welcome

    Do you have his service record - if not then check out post 4 above - his service records are the only way to start researching his military history.

    TD
     

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